At Marks and Spencer's annual general meeting today, out-going
M&S CEO, Luke Vandervelde, appeared nonplussed when a shareholder
from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign asked a question about Israel's
fraudulent labelling of products from its illegal settlements in
the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. Mr Vandervelde said:
"We will continue to label goods as made in Israel whether
from the West Bank or Gaza."

Replying, Mr Vandervelde repeatedly referred to the Occupied Territories
as being part of Israel amid heckling from the floor.

The question, presented by a proxy speaker on behalf of shareholder,
Mr Jim Whitehead, was:

"In view of the growing boycott of Israeli products, can we
have an update on M&S's controversial relationship with Israel,
in particular the ruling reported in today's Times about fraudulent
labelling of goods produced on illegal settlements on the West Bank,
Gaza and Golan Heights, as this issue is of great concern to ethical
consumers due to Israel's appalling human rights abuses."